Intermediate shafts (I-shafts) are designed to be a component of torque transfer from a steering column to a steering gear. They may also allow axial movement while maintaining this ability to transfer torque. Some known I-shafts control the torsional rate and axial sliding force through clearance control and friction, and these I-shafts are commonly referred to as friction slider I-shafts.
Some know friction slider I-shafts are composed of a metal solid shaft with a plastic based coating sliding inside of a metal tube. Many of these friction sliders must maintain extremely tight tolerances. As a result, because cross-sections of these components vary by application, the plastic based coating that is placed over the metal solid shaft must be customized to fit the specific tube it will be positioned in. As such, this process is difficult to use and maintain on a mass production scale. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an I-shaft with variable tolerances such that it may be used with various sized I-shaft components.